For a young girl like Alice, the spring and fall months should be filled with outdoor activities. But, with severe asthma flares and allergies,it is nearly impossible for her to enjoy those seasons like other children her age. Alice’s parents struggled to gain control of her asthma flares and turned to medications and nebulizer treatments to ​prevent emergency medical care. After another terrible night of Alice’s allergies, her parents knew there must be something to better alleviate her suffering.

After consulting with an ENT/allergist an allergy test was performed. Alice demonstrated dramatic allergies to multiple allergens. Her doctor recommended immunotherapy, which her parents gladly pursued. Within six months, a dramatic improvement in both her allergy symptoms and her asthma was noticed. Now, Alice’s asthma episodes are rare and less severe.

Alice’s experience gives hope to children and adults who suffer from asthma and seasonal allergies. Multiple studies demonstrate immunotherapy ​(administering small amounts of the patient’s specific allergens over a period of three to five years) can have a beneficial effect on both the allergic symptoms and asthma severity.

Recent advances in the allergy field have resulted in the ability to use allergy drops to achieve similar benefits as injections. These advances allow a new population of children and adults to receive the care of immunotherapy. Severe asthma, use of certain medications and even a fear of needles no longer prohibit patients from receiving full immunotherapy treatment.

With these advances in immunotherapy, patients like Alice receive the care they need and can get back to living life to the fullest. Consider asking your primary care doctor if immunotherapy might be helpful for you. ​For more informations visit uvearnosethroat.org.